Once you submit a story to the website, you should receive an automatic response letting you know that the story was received. If you do not receive the response within a few hours, check your Spam Box. If you still have not received it, send an email to mystory@gloucesterma400.org.
Yes, as part of the process you must sign all consent forms related to your story. The consent forms simply give the Gloucester400+ the rights to publish your story and note that you are responsible for the content of your story.
Here is the Consent Form and the Release Form.
The author retains all rights and must sign a consent and release form which allows for the Gloucester400+ to publish the story on its website, social media, possibly a book, and other locations.
Yes, 3-5 sentences about the author can be included with one reference to a website. Please put this at the end of your story. We do not accept full length bios or resumes.
Great, please be sure to get the consent of each person who participates.
The Gloucester400+ is actively recruiting volunteer writers, editors, researchers, interviewers and video editors in order to help non-writers to tell their stories. We will also be offering free workshops through the year to assist inexperienced writers.
Please remember that when it comes to telling the stories of unheard, marginalized or mis-represented people, we not seeking opinion-oriented pieces or stories weighed down by politics on any side of the political spectrum. Rather, when possible, we prefer to hear stories directly from the previously unheard or from their descendants.
If your story is making any significant historical claims you will be required to cite your sources. Please use Chicago Style Endnotes as described here.
Stories which aim in part to clarify or correct previously written stories about local historical figures need detailed Endnotes for verification before publication. Please remember that part of the mission of the Gloucester400+ is to hear directly from the voices of the unheard, marginalized or mis-represented, OR their descendants. Their stories, directly from their experience, or as passed down through their family history, are a priority.
If your story is NOT making any significant historical claims, please generally acknowledge how you gathered your story information in the Acknowledgements section.
Yes, if you own the rights to the piece. If you do not own the rights to the piece, or you are unsure, please contact the previous publisher in writing (by email) and secure the permission to reprint the article. Keep the email for your files and forward a copy to the Stories Project Manager.
Take a look at our suggested writing topics to get ideas on what to write about. Also, think about the people you know now—who inspires you? What has influenced you in a positive way? Who is the most unique, most funny, or does the most good deeds? What about that person who normally is shy, but when they talk, they have something important to say? Consider writing about that person.
And what about YOU? Consider writing a story about your own arrival in Gloucester, your own experiences, and your special connection to this place. Last, you can always pay tribute to someone who has already passed on—whether they family members or just part of Gloucester’s history. For more writing tips see our tips sheet here:
Attention Experienced Writers: the Gloucester400+ is actively seeking experienced writers to assist others in completing their stories, and to write stories from start to finish. If you would like to write but don’t know what to write about, let our Stories Project Manager assign a story to you! Being a volunteer writer has many perks including being invited to Gloucester400+ events, enhancing your resume with writing experience, and for job seekers we are happy to give you a writing reference.
Yes march 17, 2023, but this deadline only pertains to writers who want their stories to be considered for inclusion in the official commemorative book. Read more here…